Historic Rugby Honors Its Unique History with 44th Annual British Festival
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Historic Rugby Honors Its Unique
History with 44th Annual British Festival
RUGBY, Tennessee – Celebrate the fascinating time when British and Appalachian culture converged in Tennessee at Historic Rugby’s 44th annual British Festival, happening Saturday, May 10th and Sunday, May 11th in the heart of the village on Rugby Parkway.
“Rugby welcomes your whole family to come enjoy the many free options at this year’s festival,” says organizer Michael Hoff, “including music, cultural activities, historic tours, and the incredible natural beauty of the surrounding area.”
This year’s event will offer an exciting blend of new additions to the festival lineup along with longtime crowd favorites. The live music stage will feature an eclectic range of artists, including several bluegrass bands, a Dixieland jazz band, folk singers, the Rugby Cornet Band (newly reinstated after a 140-year hiatus!), and more. Other activities include free horse-and-carriage rides, cricket lessons, regional vendors and artisans selling their wares, food trucks, tours of Rugby’s historic buildings and printing works, and a maypole with traditional maypole dancers. “Our maypole dancers dress in period costume and are trained in the art of maypole dancing,” says Hoff, “but they encourage everyone to participate and will even show you how it’s done. It’s one of the most popular and photo-worthy events of the weekend!”
As part of the festival, the annual Queen’s Tea will take place Saturday at 1 pm Eastern in Rugby’s Hester Hall. A delectable selection of traditional British treats and teas will be offered, and Victorian-era costumes are encouraged (though not required). The Queen’s Tea is a ticketed 
event and sells out each year, so those wanting to attend should plan on purchasing tickets well in advance.
The British Festival celebrates the founding of Historic Rugby in the 1880s by British author and Parliamentarian Thomas Hughes. Hughes envisioned a utopia where British men from wealthy families who stood to inherit nothing because of their birth order could create a future for themselves. Around 300 British and American men and women came to Rugby to live and work among the region’s Appalachian families, merging their culture with the traditions of the Cumberland Plateau. Today, Rugby is a living historic village with a mission to honor Hughes’ vision and preserve the remaining historic structures from his time; tours of its historic homes and buildings and special fundraising events are held in Rugby throughout the year.
To see a full schedule of events and purchase tickets for the Queen’s Tea, head to historicrugby.org. You’ll find the British Festival under the Events tab.
All proceeds from the event help support the year-round preservation and educational efforts of Historic Rugby.
Rugby, Tennessee is adjacent to the Big South Fork National Recreation Area and is a 2 1/2 hour drive from Nashville and a little over an hour away from Knoxville. Overnight lodging is available at historicrugby.org. For more information about Historic Rugby, follow us on Instagram and Facebook.
